DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/10/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-17 are canceled, Claim 18 is currently amended, Claims 19-26 are as previously presented, Claims 27-34 are withdrawn, and Claims 35-37 are new.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 18-20, 22, 23, 25, 26, and 35-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heikkila (US 2022/0288686 A1).
Heikkila teaches a modified particulate for use in binder jet molding processes for metals and other composite particulate materials (abstract). Binder jet process is an additive manufacturing process [0005]. The particulate is modified with a coating of an interfacial modifier [0008], which reads on at least one barrier layer. The particle is completely and uniformly coated [0024]. The coating is applied initially [0053]. A binder material is used for making an article [0054]. Sintering and debinding occurs to form a solid object and remove volatiles, respectively [0017]. The particle size, including ceramics, is 1 to 75 microns [0017], which overlaps the range of 2-40 µm. In the case where the claimed ranges overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art, a prima facie case of obviousness exists because the prior art discloses the utility of the composition over the entire disclosed range. See MPEP § 2144.05. In the case where the claimed ranges overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art, a prima facie case of obviousness exists because the prior art discloses the utility of the composition over the entire disclosed range. See MPEP § 2144.05.
Regarding Claim 19, the interfacial modifier comprises titanate, zirconate, phosphonate, and aluminate compounds [0021], which reads on metal oxides and
Regarding Claim 20, metal oxides include zirconate (ZrO32-), titanate (titanium oxide ions), and aluminate (aluminum oxide ions).
Regarding Claim 22, the thickness of the interfacial modifier on the particles is less than 1 micron, 0.5-10 Å, or 1-500 Å [0053], or less than ,1000 nm, 5-100 nm, or 10-5,000 nm, which overlaps the claimed range.
Regarding Claim 23, the binder is typically aqueous and can include thermoplastic and natural polymers [0054], which reads on chemically or physically at least partially solidifiable.
Regarding Claim 25, the binder includes thermoplastic polymers [0054].
Regarding Claim 26, layers of a particulate are formed layer by layer with application of the binder [0058].
Regarding Claims 35-37, the interfacial modifier coating provides an inert surface on the particulate substrate [0023], which reads on impeding passage of at least one of oxygen, carbon, metal ions, or water as in Claim 35, impedes a chemical reaction between the particles and an external environment as in Claim 36, and improves chemical resistance as in Claim 37.
Claims 18-26 and 35-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gibson (US 2018/0133955 A1) in view of Delmée et al (US 12,508,568 B2).
Gibson teaches sterolithographic fabrication of three-dimensional objects with a resin dispersed in a binder system. A green object can be formed by layer-by-layer process and densified to form a metal object, a ceramic object, or a combination of both (abstract). The binder is pyrolyzed [0015] and debinded [0117]. However, Gibson does not teach the particles that are processed are coated as claimed.
Delmée et al teaches a non-thermal plasma treatment of metal powders to improve their processability by additive manufacturing (abstract). Secondary particles constituted of metals, metal alloys, ceramics, or polymers are bonded thereto (abstract), which reads on a barrier layer. The secondary particles may have a coverage including 100% (column 7, lines 48-51), which reads on enveloping. The primary particle size is between 0.01 µm and 1000 µm (column 6, lines 56-58), which overlaps the claimed range. The functionalized powder is melted or sintered (column 5, lines 32 and 33) with additive manufacturing by building up three-dimensional objects (column 1, lines 22-24). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the metal powders of Delmée et al in the process of Gibson, since Delmée et al teaches improving powder processability by additive manufacturing (column 4, lines 7-10). The attachment of small particles on metal powder particles changes the chemical nature of their surface with improved reflectivity, sensitivity to oxidation and the presence of cracks (column 2, lines 50-57).
Regarding Claim 19, Delmée et al teaches polymers are bonded thereto or metal oxides (column 7, line 8).
Regarding Claim 20, Delmée et al teaches metal oxides include aluminum, zirconium, titanium, iron, molybdenum, tin, and chromium (column 7, lines 10-12).
Regarding Claim 21, Delmée et al teaches polymer secondar particles include polyamide, polycarbonate, polyvinyl derivatives and copolymers, and polyethylene terephthalate (column 7, lines 14-21).
Regarding Claim 22, Delmée et al teaches the thickness of the secondary particle coating is 0.002 µm to 900 µm (column 7, lines 51-53), or 2 nm to 9 × 105 nm, which overlaps the claimed range.
Regarding Claim 23, Gibson teaches the binder includes resins, which are at least partially solidifiable.
Regarding Claim 24, Gibson teaches a light source that can deliver light of a wavelength to crosslink and/or polymerize the binder [0084, 0106], which reads on a photoinitiator for photochemical curing.
Regarding Claim 25, Gibson teaches thermoplastics (polyoxymethylene and poly(methyl methacrylate)) [0107].
Regarding Claim 26, Gibson teaches directing light energy onto each layer of the resin to cure in a predetermined pattern [0115].
Regarding Claims 35-37, Delmée et al teaches the functionalized powder provides an additional protective layer to metal oxidation as stated above which reads on impedes passage of oxygen as in Claim 35, impedes a chemical reaction between the particles and an external environment as in Claim 36, and improves chemical resistance as in Claim 37.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 18-26 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tima M. McGuthry-Banks whose telephone number is (571)272-2744. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.
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Tima M. McGuthry-Banks
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1733
/Tima M. McGuthry-Banks/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1733
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